Hansi Flick was dealt a tricky hand to start out the season, and it solely obtained worse because the weeks glided by.
Shedding Iñigo Martínez was extra of a bombshell tactically than many people realized. Mix that with the rising damage checklist, and you’ve got a recipe for inconsistency making it laborious to type a group id.
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Now, the clouds are beginning to half in Barcelona, and rays of hope are discovering their approach by to recommend that brighter days are on the horizon.
Iñigo was Barca’s chief in season one beneath Flick, adopted intently behind by Raphinha. The Spanish defender isn’t coming again, which can proceed to depart a vacuum that might be laborious to fill, however the return of Raphinha may very well be simply the spark that Barcelona must get their season again on the rails.
The Brazilian was prolific a 12 months in the past, making himself a worthy contender for the Ballon d’Or. He was a purpose scorer, a creator, and the non secular chief of Flick’s excessive depth, excessive urgent system.
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My hope is that we see a correct rotation alongside Marcus Rashford, Lamine Yamal, and Robert Lewandowski, with Ferran Torres used as an excellent sub. This may preserve everybody contemporary and motivated, and hopefully, get Barcelona again to their days as a purpose scoring machine.
Fortunately, it appears that evidently . Let this be a warning to Flick that he wants a plan to handle the minutes of his midfield genius, to maintain him on the sector within the largest moments of the dense calendar forward.
Issue within the return of Joan García, and Flick is again to sq. one. He has the group he must problem for each trophy in entrance of him.
In La Liga, Barcelona are proper there on the high of the desk, simply three factors behind Actual Madrid who sit in first place.
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Within the Champions League, they’ve had a sluggish begin, however then once more, so did PSG a 12 months in the past, who went on to change into champions after choosing up steam in December.
The flip of the calendar additionally means Barcelona may have an opportunity to repeat as Spanish Supercopa champions, whereas making a run to defend their Copa del Rey title as nicely.
To even take into consideration competing throughout all these competitions, Barcelona will want depth. In the meanwhile, they’re beginning to get it again, and it’s coming at an ideal time.
We will put the controversy about Flick’s techniques to mattress for the second.
He probably gained’t change something understanding the return of his star gamers is coming quickly. As soon as they’re again, we are able to consider the supervisor and the group pretty, as soon as and for all.
The second of reality has arrived. At Barcelona, you’re judged by trophies.
The approaching months will reveal if the Blaugrana are contenders as soon as once more.